Tom Cook

Hello Hans, You have a much lighter stabilizer and engine than my model. Mine has no balance weight.
My Yellow Hustler was the first set of parts that were produced. Through time, I saved some weight here and there in each part manufacture. Nothing real significant though.

mongo

My Feedback: (15)

i gotta find one of those kits, one of these days.

hofer

Hi all,
And just today I took Hustler out to the flightline for systems and taxi checks - well, what can I say - everything works just absolutely flawless !
There is no need to change even the smallest item before the big day ! Maiden flight is not far away and I really look forward to that big day !
The turbine is a monster - thrust at WOT is hard to hold up to with your hands against that sexy nose !!
Enjoy the pics of this rare sportsjet - it definitely stands out of all the rest !
see you
Hans



















And here in the setting sunlight :

hofer

And forgot this one - as said beforehand - it is a monster and calls for a careful and respectful left thumb on the throttle stick for sure !

David Gladwin

Good luck with your maiden flight, glad to see you share my Weatronics enthusiasm, my Wea gear has been flawless since day 1 4 Gizmos, 6 smaller rxs, yes it was years ahead if its time and still a brilliant system, installed in my 2 AW Hawks, a SG Hawk and Mig 29. That said, as it ages Core radio and PB equipment, will gradually replace.
Will you fit a FOD guard on that exposed engine ?
Don’t worry about your advancing years, I’m 78 and still enjoying my jet flying, 5 perfect flights last Sunday with a Xicoy 180 in a PST Revision, no slouch , but the Hustler with a 250 will really go !

Just enjoy it !

hofer

Hello Dave,
Weatronic - yes I can totally support your experience with the system !
I use it on all my models ( more than 30 ! ) and like you, never ever had a single flaw !
Of course, PB core is a contemporary and state of the art system - my first sytem to go should I ever change my winning team !
FOD guard - I leave it as is, without - why? Because we fly from an active airforce base where all the runways and taxiways are cleaned with huge vacuum trucks at least twice a week !
I think that the engine location on Hustler is a pretty favourable one concerning FOD
Then, flying fast jets at age 78 - Sir, I do look up to you ! Now, that would be a goal for me to achieve !! A big motivation to stay and live healthy !
see you
Hans

hofer

Hi all,
And I just maidened Hustler this morning - what shall I say - a typical Tom Cook plane !
That means - absolutely flawless - easy take offs, easy flying and easy landings !
Almost no trimming required in all flight modes, systems ran perfectly and best of all - this thing moves !!
The flights reminded me very much of Firebird`s ones - fast, stable and very controlable
The power from that 250XBL is otherworldly - handle with care, please !!
I am a happy guy !
see you

LGM Graphix

My Feedback: (22)

That's awesome! It's been a long road but happy to hear it has flown finally! Congratulations my friend!

hofer

Hi all,
And here some update on Hustler`s flight testing !
I really encountered a big problem - the Jetsmunt M250XBL reliably flamed out when pulling the throttle stick back from above half power ( leading to two successful dead stick landings ! )
Now why did this happen - it is just because the standard settings from Jetsmunt for the ECU DOES NOT work !
They are using the same pump for their turbines from the M120 up to the M250 with the same ECU and programming
This cannot work - the M250 has so much more rotor inertia compared to the smaller engines that the ECU cuts down the pumps RPM much too fast and hence reducing the fuel supply much too apruptely
Consequence - the M250 will flame out reliably when pulling the throttle stick fast back
I could reproduce this behaviour on ground several times - fast decceleration mode on that ECU is just way too fast for the big M250 !
I went back to slow deccelaration on the ECU`s programming and now the motor runs just perfect throughout the whole range
Accelaration in fast mode has not been any problem !
Of course my flying style has contributed to the above problem - I do fly agressive aerobatics with lots of powerchanges involved !
The second problem - the tires are not clamped together by the rim halves enough to allow full braking action during landing rollouts
The tyres were turning on the rims - I have fixed that as well !
And now guys - I have Hustler just were it should be - a perfect and insaningly fast and powerful flyer it is !
The difference to Firebird is really not that big - Hustler is a bullet as well !
Approaches and landings are easy, but even with all those flaps at 50 degrees and beeing at idle from half downwind it will float forever !

I have emailed Jetsmunt about my experience and asked them to do some bench tests with a M250 just to veryfy my findings - no response !
Again and I am pretty sure about it - the M250XBL should not be sold with the deccel setting on the ECU beeing fast !!

see you
hans

SkyKnight

My Feedback: (67)

The Hus, as it has been affectionately named by the guys I fly with, is my all time Fav. So much that I have two! May consider selling one though. Not only a great flyer with an expansive flight envelope, but also backed by professional and top quality tech support from Tom Cook.

hofer

Hi Alan,
Yes and yes, the Hus is a real man`s flying machine !
Not many flyable today I guess, but the ones who call them their own do know what they have at their hands !
My next flights will be with the smoke system activated just like yours - my goal is to draw a big smiley just like shui did in his heydays !
Tested the system on ground already and it looks very promising !
see you
Hans

PS: yours seems to have some serious power installed as well !
I have seen your Hustlers many times on pics beforehand many moons ago when they were not yet in your hangar !

SkyKnight

My Feedback: (67)

HAHA!! Yeah, that was one of Shui's signature maneuvers! Both of mine have JetCat 180RX engines for heartbeats. Can't stay firewall forward too log cuz I run out of space That snapshot is from a short video clip pushing the clouds out of the way at Bomber Field. I can't figure how to post a video on this thread. It doesn't like to .mov type.

Many happy sorties to ya Hofer! It can and does bring an adrenaline rush.

hofer

Hi all,
And as the the 2024 season is about to start, Hustler is going into hybernation, allowing my beloved Firebird to become alive again !
The Jets Munt M250XBL has changed places - away from Hustler and into Firebird it goes !
Firebird will weigh in at around 4 pounds less than it was with the old style AMT Olympus !
Really looking forward to what this marvellous jet will provide with such an up to date set up.
I am pretty convinced that it will fly just perfectly !
It still is the Bugatti Chiron of RC-jets !
see you
Hans

SkyKnight

My Feedback: (67)

Let's try this.